Multi-tiered voice feedback in an electronic device

Abstract

This invention is directed to providing voice feedback to a user of an electronic device. Because each electronic device display may include several speakable elements (i.e., elements for which voice feedback is provided), the elements may be ordered. To do so, the electronic device may associate a tier with the display of each speakable element. The electronic device may then provide voice feedback for displayed speakable elements based on the associated tier. To reduce the complexity in designing the voice feedback system, the voice feedback features may be integrated in a Model View Controller (MVC) design used for displaying content to a user. For example, the model and view of the MVC design may include additional variables associated with speakable properties. The electronic device may receive audio files for each speakable element using any suitable approach, including for example by providing a host device with a list of speakable elements and directing a text to speech engine of the host device to generate and provide the audio files.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for providing voice feedback to a user of an electronic device, comprising:
 determining that content displayed on the electronic device has changed; 
 in response to a determination that content displayed on the electronic device has changed, identifying at least two speakable items to be provided to a user, the at least two speakable items including a first speakable item associated with a first speakable order, and at least one second speakable item associated with a second speakable order; 
 generating an initial queue including the identified first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item; 
 ordering the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item in the initial queue based on the respective speakable order associated with the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item; and 
 providing voice output corresponding to the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item in the order specified in the initial queue. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether content displayed on the electronic device has changed a second time; 
 in accordance with a second determination that the content displayed on the electronic device has changed:
 identifying at least two further speakable items to be provided to the user, the at least two further speakable items including a third speakable item associated with a third speakable order, and at least one fourth speakable item associated with a fourth speakable order; 
 updating at least a portion of the initial queue to generate a revised queue including at least the third speakable item and the at least one fourth speakable item; and 
 ordering at least the third speakable item and the at least one fourth speakable item in the revised queue based on the respective speakable order associated with the third speakable item and the at least one fourth speakable item. 
 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising, when the content displayed on the electronic device has changed the second time during the providing of the voice output corresponding to the first speakable item and the at least one speakable item:
 detecting the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device; 
 determining that the detected speakable item has the same speakable order in the initial queue and in the revised queue; and 
 providing voice output from the revised queue starting with the detected speakable item. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2 , further comprising, when the content displayed on the electronic device has changed the second time during the providing of the voice output corresponding to the first speakable item and the at least one speakable item:
 detecting the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device; 
 comparing the initial queue and the revised queue to identify common portions of the queues; 
 determining that the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device is not in a portion of the revised queue that is in common with the initial queue; and 
 stopping providing voice output for the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 identifying a speakable item of the revised queue that follows the common portions of the queues; and 
 providing voice output from the revised queue starting with the identified speakable item of the revised queue that follows the common portions of the queues. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein items associated with the first speakable order precede items associated with the second speakable order in the initial queue. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein providing the voice output comprises providing the voice output for the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item sequentially and without human intervention. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two speakable items are displayed on a display of the electronic device. 
     
     
       9. An electronic device operative to provide voice feedback to a user, comprising a processor, a display, and an audio output, the processor operative to:
 determine that the content displayed on the electronic device has changed; 
 in response to a determination that the content displayed on the electronic device has changed, identify at least two speakable items to be provided to a user, the at least two speakable items including a first speakable item associated with a first speakable order, and at least one second speakable item associated with a second speakable order; 
 generate an initial queue including the identified first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item; 
 order the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item in the initial queue based on the respective speakable order associated with the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item; and 
 provide voice output corresponding to the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item in the order specified in the initial queue. 
 
     
     
       10. The electronic device of  claim 9 , the processor further operative to:
 determine whether content displayed on the electronic device has changed a second time; 
 in accordance with a second determination that the content displayed on the electronic device has changed:
 identify at least two further speakable items to be provided to the user, the at least two further speakable items including a third speakable item associated with a third speakable order, and at least one fourth speakable item associated with a fourth speakable order; 
 update at least a portion of the initial queue to generate a revised queue including at least the third speakable item and the at least one fourth speakable item; and 
 order at least the third speakable item and the at least one fourth speakable item in the revised queue based on the respective speakable order associated with the third speakable item and the at least one fourth speakable item. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The electronic device of  claim 10 , the processor further operative to, when the content displayed on the electronic device has changed the second time during the providing of the voice output corresponding to the first speakable item and the at least one speakable item:
 detect the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device; 
 determine that the detected speakable item has the same speakable order in the initial queue and in the revised queue; and 
 provide voice output from the revised queue starting with the detected speakable item. 
 
     
     
       12. The electronic device of  claim 10 , the processor further operative to, when the content displayed on the electronic device has changed the second time during the providing of the voice output corresponding to the first speakable item and the at least one speakable item:
 detect the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device; 
 compare the initial queue and the revised queue to identify common portions of the queues; 
 determine that the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device is not in a portion of the revised queue that is in common with the initial queue; and 
 stop providing voice output for the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       13. The electronic device of  claim 12 , the processor further operative to:
 identify a speakable item of the revised queue that follows the common portions of the queues; and 
 provide voice output from the revised queue starting with the identified speakable item of the revised queue that follows the common portions of the queues. 
 
     
     
       14. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein items associated with the first speakable order precede items associated with the second speakable order in the initial queue. 
     
     
       15. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor operative to provide the voice output is further operative to provide the voice output for the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item sequentially and without human intervention. 
     
     
       16. The electronic device of  claim 9 , wherein the at least two speakable items are displayed on a display of the electronic device. 
     
     
       17. A non-transitory computer readable storage media for providing voice feedback to a user of an electronic device, the computer readable media comprising computer program logic recorded thereon for:
 determining that the content displayed on the electronic device has changed; 
 in response to a determination that the content displayed on the electronic device has changed, identifying at least two speakable items to be provided to a user, the at least two speakable items including a first speakable item associated with a first speakable order, and at least one second speakable item associated with a second speakable order; 
 generating an initial queue including the identified first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item; 
 ordering the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item in the initial queue based on the respective speakable order associated with the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item; and 
 providing voice output corresponding to the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item in the order specified in the initial queue. 
 
     
     
       18. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 17 , further comprising computer program logic for:
 determining whether content displayed on the electronic device has changed a second time; 
 in accordance with a second determination that the content displayed on the electronic device has changed:
 identifying at least two further speakable items to be provided to the user, the at least two further speakable items including a third speakable item associated with a third speakable order, and at least one fourth speakable item associated with a fourth speakable order; 
 updating at least a portion of the initial queue to generate a revised queue including at least the third speakable item and the at least one fourth speakable item; and 
 ordering at least the third speakable item and the at least one fourth speakable item in the revised queue based on the respective speakable order associated with the third speakable item and the at least one fourth speakable item. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 18 , further comprising computer program logic for, when the content displayed on the electronic device has changed the second time during the providing of the voice output corresponding to the first speakable item and the at least one speakable item:
 detecting the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device; 
 determining that the detected speakable item has the same speakable order in the initial queue and in the revised queue; and 
 providing voice output from the revised queue starting with the detected speakable item. 
 
     
     
       20. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 18 , further comprising computer program logic for, when the content displayed on the electronic device has changed the second time during the providing of the voice output corresponding to the first speakable item and the at least one speakable item:
 detecting the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device; 
 comparing the initial queue and the revised queue to identify common portions of the queues; 
 determining that the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device is not in a portion of the revised queue that is in common with the initial queue; and 
 stopping providing voice output for the speakable item for which voice output was provided during changing of the content displayed on the electronic device. 
 
     
     
       21. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 20 , further comprising computer program logic for:
 identifying a speakable item of the revised queue that follows the common portions of the queues; and 
 providing voice output from the revised queue starting with the identified speakable item of the revised queue that follows the common portions of the queues. 
 
     
     
       22. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 17 , the computer program logic for providing the voice output further comprises computer program logic for providing the voice output for the first speakable item and the at least one second speakable item sequentially and without human intervention. 
     
     
       23. The non-transitory computer readable storage media of  claim 17 , wherein the at least two speakable items are displayed on a display of the electronic device.